When all else fails, have CHOCOLATE

My next point of interest was Saint Patrick's Cathedral, but of course, I got lost.  It was because I got lost that I was able to experience two happy mistakes as first I ran into (literally) city hall.  It is a beautiful building that had a really nice musuem in the basement that went into more detail about the history of Dublin.

 

Dublin City Hall was built between 1769 and 1779 and was originally used as a financial centre by the merchants of Dublin. Designed by Thomas Cooley, it was first known as the Royal Exchange. In 1851 it was bought by Dublin Corporation and later renamed Dublin City Hall.  The Royal Exchange, or City Hall as it is now known, is without doubt one of Dublin's finest and most sophisticated 18th century buildings and marks the introduction to Ireland of the European neo-classical style of architecture.

Immediately when you enter, you are in a beautiful domed area, the Rotunda. Twelve columns support the dome with a mural between each one. There are twelve murals in total, eight of which depict a famous legendary or historical scene such as St. Patrick baptising the King of Dublin. 

The remaining four show the Coat of Arms of the four provinces: Ulster, Leinster, Connacht and Munster. In the centre of the floor,  standing right beneath the dome , a mosaic depicting the Coat of Arms of Dublin is encircled by four statues. These four statues are of figures that played an important role in the development of Irish society.

 

 

The second mistake was running into (again literally) Butler's - Purveyors of Happiness

If you ever get to Dublin, you need to go to Butlers and have a hot chocolate with a short bread cookie with carmel and chocolate on top.  It was absolutely wonderful and it set me up for the rest of the day.